Help Your Child With Spelling

Good spellers can read the words, picture the words, hear the sounds a word makes, and write the word correctly. Good spellers can even look at a word and notice that something is not quite right. Good spellers are not satisfied with a word unless they are sure that the word is correctly written on the page. Good spellers care about the way their writing appears to others as well as themselves. Good spellers know that spelling is important. They also appreciate excellence and the work that is necessary to achieve excellence. Good spellers work hard. They know patience and practice helps. They have developed strategies that help them.

Strategies to help your child become a better speller.

• Tell your child to close his or her eyes and imagine what the word looks like. This is called configuration. Imagine you put a box a 'box' around the word. The 'box' is not a true rectangle or square. It has ups and downs. The shape helps a child to remember where a tall letter like h or t is placed. It also helps a child to remember a hang down letter like g or y. Where do these bumps occur?
• Are there double consonants or vowels in a word? Do they come together or are they apart?
• Are there any little words inside a big word?
• What kind of an ending does the word have? Remembering combinations such as er, ir, or, ar, s, or es can eliminate a mistake.
• If there is a spot your child gets mixed up in a word, say it out loud. Then spell the word putting emphasis on the mixed up letters. Use a deep voice or a soft voice or a sing song voice. Repeat this 'voice' when you spell the word. It will stick in your child's head.
• Air write the words that are difficult. Say it, write it, picture it.
• Use sand or bread crumbs in a shoe box. Trace the words in the box. This is a kinestic or tactile trick which awakens another form of memory.
• Do the practice in small increments, but do practice over time. Ten minutes each day is more powerful than 30 minutes the day before the test.
• Talk about the words with your child. Try to use them in conversation during the week. Then continue to use them.
• Comment when you see the spelling word in the newspaper, a book, on an advertisement, or hear it on the radio or television.
• Practice difficult words extra. If you have spelling flash cards (made from index cards) rotate the missed words to the end of the pile rather than putting them aside.
• Praise your child for his or her work.
• Make a goal to get one word less incorrect each week.
• Decide on a reward for getting a really difficult word or words correct.
• Talk about spelling. Tell your child how you remembered your words. We all learned to spell. What tricks did you use?
• Don't make spelling practice a battle zone. Work together to make it an enjoyable time.
• If you butt heads with your child ask your partner or a sibling to help out. Sometimes another voice or personality makes the task easier. Share the activity.
• If you think a skill is important so will your child. Explain why it is important. How it will help your child. Where he or she will use it.
• Have a dictionary available.
• Show your child how to use spell check on the computer.
• Make your child aware that you care about spelling.